PESHAWAR, Oct 11 (APP):Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi on Sunday chaired the first meeting of the Advisor Council at the Governor House, reaffirming the government’s commitment to restoring peace, strengthening the writ of the state and taking coordinated action against terrorism across the province.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Dr Muhammad Fakhare Alam Irfan, Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed and members of the Advisor Council, including Lt Gen (R) Nigar Johar, Tariq Mehmood Pasha, Usman Saifullah Khan, Advocate Amir Javed, Dr Muhammad Irshad, Kifayatullah Khan, Dr Syed Amir Abdullah, Maulana Tayyab Qureshi, Dr Sarfraz Ali Shah and Asif Rafiq.
The IGP briefed the participants on the prevailing law and order situation in the province.
Addressing the meeting, Governor Kundi welcomed the council members and congratulated them on their new responsibilities. He said the province was facing serious challenges, but all matters would be handled responsibly and in a timely manner, adding that corruption would not be tolerated under any circumstances.
He also announced that a meeting of the Provincial Apex Committee would be convened later in the day.
In his message to the people of the province, the Governor said certain constitutional measures had been taken in view of the extraordinary situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, emphasizing that the objective was not political point-scoring but restoring peace, security, stability and development.
He said the people of the province had paid a heavy price in the fight against terrorism, paying tribute to the sacrifices of police personnel, armed forces, Levies, civil servants, religious scholars, teachers, traders and ordinary citizens.
“The time has come to give Khyber Pakhtunkhwa its right to peace,” he said, adding that the fight was against terrorism and the networks, facilitators and environment that allowed it to flourish.
Governor Kundi said Pakhtuns were not the cause of terrorism but its biggest victims, reaffirming the state’s resolve to eliminate the menace and ensure lasting peace in the province.
He said his foremost priority would be the protection of the people and effective action against terrorism by enhancing the capacity of the police and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), ensuring that police personnel confronting terrorists were fully backed by the state.
He also pledged full support for the families of police martyrs and stressed improving the state’s administrative writ in conflict-affected districts.
The Governor said the government would focus on ensuring equal development opportunities in education, health, employment, roads, electricity, water supply and public services for the underdeveloped districts that had suffered from terrorism, displacement and prolonged deprivation.
He said the administration would be made more accountable while empowering citizens, adding that the government’s strategy would target the entire ecosystem of terrorism, including facilitators, financial networks, recruitment channels, illegal weapons, narcotics and unlawful movement.
Governor Kundi said effective implementation of the National Action Plan and all counter-terrorism measures would remain a top priority, while safeguarding the future of the youth by preventing terrorism from undermining their aspirations.
He said the extraordinary administrative measures were not aimed at any political party, individual or segment of society but were intended to strengthen state institutions, enforce the rule of law, eliminate terrorism and provide peace and relief to the people, while fully respecting constitutional and legal rights of every citizen.